Connector device

ABSTRACT

A connector device for connecting pool cleaning tools to a conventional tubular handle or pole includes a tubular sleeve, having a portion of one side cut away, disposed around the handle adjacent one end thereof, and a tubular shaft attached to the cleaning tool, which has a portion of one side cut away. The tubular shaft projects along the outer surface of the handle and under the inner surface of the sleeve and is secured therein by a thumb screw disposed in the sleeve. The sleeve is secured to the handle at one side thereof by a bolt which extends diametrically through the handle and into a hole provided in the shaft.

U Unlted States Patent 11 1 1111 3,762,749

Pansini 1 Oct. 2, 1973 CONNECTOR DEVICE 640,804 7 1950 Great Britain 287/103 R [76} Inventor: Andrew L. Pansini, 27 Larkspur St.,

San Rafael Cahf' Primary ExaminerAndrew V. Kundrat [22] Filed: Apr. 12, 1972 Attorney-Jas. M. Naylor et al.

211 Appl. No.: 243,250

[52] U.S. Cl ..403/341 [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. Fl6d 1/00 Field of Search 103 A connector device for connecting pool cleaning tools 287/65, 119 to a conventional tubular handle or pole includes a tu- 306/23 bular sleeve, having a portion of one side cut away, disposed around the handle adjacent one end thereof, and References Ciled a tubular shaft attached to the cleaning tool, which has UNITED STATES PATENTS a portion of one side cut away. The tubular shaft proj- 3,572,7s4 3 1971 Pansini 287/l03 R along Outer Surface (the handle and under the 3 21 4 2 10/1965 sorensnmn 287/103 R X inner surface of the sleeve and is secured therein by 21 2,769,549 11/1956 Bixby I 15/1.7 t umb screw disposed in the sleeve. The sleeve is se- 3,292,947 l2/l966 Musichakm. 287/104 X cured to the handle at one side thereof by a bolt which 983.082 l/l Patrick 306/40 extends diametrically through the handle and into a 1,984,500 l2/l934 Tautz 279/83 X Norway 287/108 hole provided in the shaft.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEUUU' ems 3.762.749

i VIIIIIIIII CONNECTOR DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A number of cleaning devices used in the maintenance of a swimming pool require manual manipulation of a tool along the bottom and sides of the pool by means of a long tubular handle. Since different cleaning operations require different cleaning tools it is desirable to provide for detachable mounting of such tools on the long tubular handle in a manner that allows fast and easy connection and disconnection of the tool to the handle, and to do so in a simple, reliable, inexpensive way, e.g. with parts not subject to weathering, wear and tear, or mechanical breakdown, in any substantial degree.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The essential object of this invention is to provide a connection device for connecting a long tubular handle to a pool cleaning tool, which is simple to construct and use, inexpensive to produce, and substantially free from wear and tear or mechanical breakdown problems.

This and other objects, which will be apparent from the following description and claims, are achieved by the present invention which comprises a tubular sleeve having a portion of one side cut away, which is disposed around and attached to a tubular handle adjacent one end thereof, by means of a bolt which extends diametrically through the tubular handle and protrudes therefrom. A short tubular shaft is attached to the pool cleaning tool, and has a portion of one side adjacent the end cut away. The end of the shaft extends longitudinally along the outside of the handle and the inside of the sleeve, and is secured therein by means of a thumb screw disposed in the sleeve. The locking bolt which protrudes from the handle extends into a hole provided in the shaft to longitudinally restrain the shaft with respect to the sleeve.

The present invention is an improvement over the connector device shown in my prior US. Pat. No. 3,572,784.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connector device of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the connector device shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the connector device of the present invention,

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the connector device of the present invention, and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the connector device of the present invention taken along the line and in the direction indicated by the arrows 5-5 in FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. I, the connector device of the present invention includes a tubular sleeve 10 having a portion of one side cut away, and a tubular shaft 12 attached to a cleaning tool (not shown) and having a portion of one side adjacent the end thereof cut away. Sleeve 10 embraces a tubular handle [4 adjacent one end thereof, and has a configuration which allows the inner surface of the sleeve to fit closely against the outer surface of the tubular handle along one side of the handle, but which is spaced from the outer surface of the tubular handle along the diametrically opposite side of the handle.

Referring to FIG. 4, it is usual for conventional tubular handles such as handle 14 to have diametrically opposed holes 16 and 18 provided therein adjacent the end. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that if the tubular handle with which the connector device of the present invention is to be employed is not provided with such holes they may be easily formed therein by a simple drilling operation. A hole 20 is provided in sleeve 10 in alignment with hole 18 for securing the sleeve to the handle by means of a locking bolt 22 which has a head 24 disposed at the outer surface of the sleeve adjacent hole 20. A nut 25 is disposed on locking bolt 22 at the inner surface of handle 14 adjacent hole 18. Locking bolt 22 extends diametrically through handle 14 and hole 16 provided therein and terminates in a distal end 26 which protrudes from the outer surface of handle 14.

Referring now to FIG. 4, shaft 12 is connected to the end of handle 14, provided with sleeve 10, by inserting the projecting end of the shaft between the outer surface of the handle and the inner surface of the sleeve until hole 28 provided in the shaft registers with the projecting end 26 of locking bolt 22. The shaft is then disposed on the bolt and held there by tightening thumb screw 30 provided in sleeve 10.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to this embodiment, but rather is to be defined by the accompanying claims:

I claim:

1. A device of the type described comprising a first tubular member (14), a second tubular member (10) of greater diameter than said first member disposed in spaced, sleeved relation to an end portion of said first member, means fixedly securing said members together, said second member having a portion of one side cut away at the outer end thereof adjacent said end portion of said first member, a pin (26) radially protruding from said first member within the cut away portion of said second member, and a set screw means (30) adjustably attached to said second member away from the cut away portion thereof, said pin and said set screw means being offset a substantial distance from each other longitudinally of said members, having their axes substantially parallel, being in substantial alignment, and adapted to have, respectively, their outer and inner ends disposed at substantially the same distances from said first member.

2. The device of claim 1, said members being nonconcentric and being secured in contiguous engagement along a line substantially offset from said pin and said set screw.

3. The device of claim 2, said second member having its inner end necked down to concentrically embrace fixedly securing said members together. 

1. A device of the type described comprising a first tubular member (14), a second tubular member (10) of greater diameter than said first member disposed in spaced, sleeved relation to an end portion of said first member, means fixedly securing said members together, said second member having a portion of one side cut away at the outer end thereof adjacent said end portion of said first member, a pin (26) radially protruding from said first member within the cut away portion of said second member, and a set screw means (30) adjustably attached to said second member away from the cut away portion thereof, said pin and said set screw means being offset a substantial distance from each other longitudinally of said members, having their axes substantially parallel, being in substantial alignment, and adapted to have, respectively, their outer and inner ends disposed at substantially the same distances from said first member.
 2. The device of claim 1, said members being non-concentric and being secured in contiguous engagement along a line substantially 180* offset from said pin and said set screw.
 3. The device of claim 2, said second member having its inner end necked down to concentrically embrace said first member, said pin comprising a portion of locking bolt and nut means comprising said means fixedly securing said members together. 